Robert Garcia
Robert Garcia (ロバート・ガルシア, Robāto Garushia) debuted as the deuteragonist in the Art of Fighting series, forming the second half of the Japanese's series namesake as "The Raging Tiger" or "The Mightiest Tiger" (最強の虎, Saikyo no Tora). He is the first known foreign practitioner of Kyokugenryu Karate. According to Neo Geo Freak, he is visually modeled on Andy García and Steven Seagal. His older appearance in Neo-Geo Battle Coliseum was not originally intended to be tied with any continuity. It was made to match the older Mr. Karate II as an original form of Robert. In Gamest's 1997 Heroes Collection, Robert was voted as the staff's forty-sixth favorite character. He shared the spot with seven other characters, including Samurai Shodown character, Hattori Hanzo, and King of Fighters character, Goenitz. Character Summary "What's the matter with you?" - Robert's pet phrase Robert is the only son of Alberto Garcia, a wealthy Italian businessman and best friend of Takuma Sakazaki. During his early childhood, Robert lived a life free of responsibility and caring, being doted on by his loving parents for his every whim. Yet he would yearn for more in his life and would regularly sneak away from his home to go to the Kyokugenryu Dojo. He spied on Takuma and Ryo Sakazaki's training sessions and aspired to become like them. Alberto wanted Robert to focus on his corporate teachings and someday inherit the Garcia Foundation from him. After his father pushed him too far, a young Robert rebelled and embraced his own ambitions to find success by himself. Running away from home, Robert rushed to Takuma's dojo and demanded to be taught Kyokugenryu Karate. Impressed by the boy's spirit, Takuma agreed and Robert became Ryo's sparring partner. The two boys soon became best friends. Unlike Ryo, Robert is a natural ace in martial arts. Because Robert excelled so well in his studies, Takuma became harder on his son's training to keep up. Robert completed his training first and returned to Italy shortly before Ronnet's deadly car accident. In his home country, Robert continued his martial arts studies and matured into a respected martial artist. He was given his moniker overseas. Robert eventually developed romantic feelings for his friend's sister, Yuri. He has held an infatuation with Yuri ever since he first met her and would likely wed her if not for Takuma and Ryo, who are overprotective of Yuri. Art of Fighting Several years later, Robert returns to America to pay the Sakazaki family a visit. While Ryo is away at a street fight, Robert arrives to the dojo too late to save Yuri from her kidnapping. He barges into the street fight and tells Ryo that Yuri has been taken to South Town. He gladly assists the search, the duo eventually learning that Mr. Big allegedly masterminded the kidnapping. Thanks to King, they were able to find Yuri and save her from Mr. Big. In gratitude, he and Ryo later fund for Jan's operation. After the conclusion of the first King of Fighters tournament, Robert visited Mexico to help Freia Lawrence, a childhood friend, save her friend Wyler. He acts as her bodyguard during their journey through Glasshill. Once he sees his friends reconcile, he follows his father's wishes to head back home and help run the family company. Before he boards the plane out of the city, Yuri surprises him by having her own ticket. They return to Italy together. Robert's whereabouts after the series conclusion remains unclear. Ryo's backstory from Buriki One and the King of Fighters series seems to imply that Robert eventually takes over his father's company. Despite popular belief, he is still single years after Art of Fighting's conclusion. The King of Fighters As one of the successful examples of the Kyokugen style, Robert often partners himself with Takuma and Ryo. Like Ryo, he is often ordered around by their master to proudly represent the Kyokugen dojo. He is overjoyed when Yuri also joins their team and often tries to voice his opinion in her favor. When he learns that King was to be her replacement in The King of Fighters 2000, he is indignant about not having prior knowledge of Yuri's absence and thinks that this is a underhanded scheme for Ryo to get closer to King. He challenges her to prove her worth to the team and they engage in a fearsome kicking contest. Since their match ends in a stalemate, he agrees to let her in the team. The following year Robert and his family are faced with grievous financial problems so his friends and master agree to help him out by winning the tournament. By the time of The King of Fighters 2003, he is somehow joyfully wealthy again and is confident enough to enter without the demands of his master. The reason for his absence in The King of Fighters XI was due to a simultaneous disaster in his father's company that needed to be solved with Robert's presence. He has enough free time from his family business to participate in the KOF XIII tournament. In the ending, Robert shows a wedding ring to Takuma that Robert want to propose marriage to Yuri, but Takuma disagrees. Both of them end up hitting each other without Ryo, Yuri or King noticing them. In Metal Slug Robert is a playable unit in Metal Slug Defense as part of KOF's 20th anniversary collaboration event. Category:Characters Category:Male characters Category:Metal Slug Defense units